Letters from the Heart
by Kristen3
Summary: When Martin is upset that Frasier won't be able to come home for his birthday, Ronee comes up with a surprise that touches everyone's hearts. Post-series obviously .
1. Chapter 1

Ronee was grateful when Martin announced that he was going to take a nap. It gave her an opportunity to put into motion an idea she'd had recently concerning his upcoming birthday. Her heart broke when she saw the sadness in her new husband's expression lately. She knew he was happy with her. The cause of his depression was Frasier. His new life in Chicago wasn't quite settled yet, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to fly back for his father's birthday. Niles and Daphne were planning to have a small party at their house. Martin had thanked them for the offer, but it hasn't really done much to improve his mood.

But, hopefully, what she was about to do would change things for the better. She sat down at the dining room table, with a pen and paper in front of her. Picking up the pen, she began to write, _Dear Niles and Daphne_... She smiled to herself, wishing she could see the expressions on their faces when they received this letter.

Niles walked into the Montana, glad to be through with hearing other people's problems for at least a night. Before going up to his apartment, he stopped to get his mail. He knew Daphne had probably been too busy taking care of David to pick it up. As he flipped through the bills, catalogs and other unimportant papers, he saw something that made him curious. An envelope addressed to him and Daphne, with a return address label belonging to 'Mrs. Ronee Lawrence-Crane' in the upper left. Why would his former baby-sitter turned stepmother be sending him a letter, when she lived less than ten minutes away?

He took the pile of mail and got an elevator. Minutes later, he was greeted by Daphne. Her kiss made him entirely forget the strange letter. "David's down for a nap. It's just the two of us for now." The mischievous grin she wore made Niles' heart race.

"My love," he whispered, taking her in his arms. "I've been looking forward to this all day. I'll never get tired of coming home, knowing that you and David are waiting for me."

After a few more minutes of blissful kisses, Niles remembered the letter. "I got the mail on my way in." He handed her the envelopes. Like him, she quickly flipped through the bills, stopping when she saw Ronee's letter.

"What's this?" she asked.

Niles shrugged. "Don't know. Guess we should read it, though. Maybe it's an invitation to hear her sing."

Daphne opened the envelope. It wasn't an invitation. She read the letter aloud to Niles.

_Dear Niles and Daphne, _

_I know it's strange to get a letter from me, considering we talk to each other nearly every day. But I figured this way I wouldn't have to worry about your father overhearing. You see, I've been thinking about his birthday. I know he's looking forward to dinner at your place. He just loves David, of course, and I have to admit he's growing on me a bit, too! But I think he's more upset about Frasier not being here than he's letting on. I know that you and Frasier usually go nuts trying to top each other's gifts, but I think I've found a solution. I know how much your father means to both of you. So, maybe you could each write a letter, letting him know how much you love him. Daphne, Marty's told me all about how you've taken care of him all these years. I know he'd love a letter from you, too. He may not show it very often, but he really does think of you like a daughter._

_So, anyway, I hope you guys will take a few minutes to jot some things down. It doesn't have to be long. In fact, knowing Marty, shorter is probably better!_ _But, of course, we've got to keep this a secret, because he'd never go for something like this if he knew about it ahead of time!_

By the time Daphne finished, tears were filling her eyes. Ronee's idea was perfect, and the fact that she had thought to include Daphne touched her a great deal. She had a feeling that when she sat down to write this letter, it would easily fill more than just a page or two. It would take much more than that to let Martin know just how happy she was to be a part of this family.


	2. Chapter 2

Frasier stopped at the mailbox before heading upstairs to the apartment he now shared with Charlotte. It was more difficult than he'd thought to restart his practice in a new city, but being with Charlotte made up for it and then some. Her matchmaking business had taken off rather quickly. But for once, Frasier didn't mind not being on top. He'd finally found a woman he loved as much as he loved his career. It truly was a new chapter in his life.

Despite all of this, Frasier still missed Seattle a great deal. He missed it more than he'd ever missed Boston. Sure, his days at Cheers were something he'd never forget. And Boston was the place where he'd met Lilith, married her, and had a child. But nothing would ever take the place of his family back home in Seattle. As he flipped through all of his junk mail, he quickly stopped when he saw a Seattle postmark. At first he figured it was a note from Niles and Daphne. They knew how much he missed his nephew, and they'd promised him to send pictures as often as possible. But the return address on the envelope wasn't the Montana. "Why would Ronee be sending me a letter?" Frasier wondered aloud as he opened it.

_Dear Frasier, _

_It seems like just yesterday that we were all at your apartment saying our goodbyes. But I know it can't be yesterday, because David is at least twice as big as he was when you left! Niles and Daphne are wonderful parents, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. _

_I know you must be wondering why I would send you a letter, rather than simply picking up the phone. But I couldn't take the chance of your father overhearing. I'm sure you know his birthday is coming up, and I bet you have some expensive gift in mind. But I've got an idea that'll hardly cost anything at all! I know you've told us several times that you're not sure you can leave town until your practice gets up and running. And I know your father told you he didn't mind. But, Frasier, the truth is, he does mind! He's just too proud and stubborn to admit it. So I thought maybe you and Niles and Daphne could each sit down and write your dad a letter, letting him know how you feel about him. I know the two of you didn't always see eye-to-eye when you were living together, but from what Marty's told me, things did get a lot better between you than they used to be. He misses you more than he expected, I think. Daphne helps as much as she can by bringing David over, but of course it's not the same. _

_I hope you don't think I'm trying to guilt you into coming back to Seattle. I know Marty would kill me if I even tried to do that! But, once I had this idea, I figured it was worth a shot. If you don't want to sit down and write something, at least call him. I know you haven't heard this very often lately, but your dad loves you. I know he appreciates everything you've done since he was shot. Just, please, think about what I've said! _

"Love, Ronee," Frasier muttered to himself, smiling. He'd had his doubts about his father's relationship with his old baby-sitter, but now he could tell that they were in love. Everyone knew no one would ever take his mother's place, but there was no denying Ronee was crazy about Martin, and vice versa. Frasier was amazed he hadn't ever thought of writing his father a letter. Back when he was living in Boston, he'd had virtually no contact with his family back home. He mentally kicked himself for repeating that pattern now.

He looked at the clock and saw that he still had at least another hour or so until Charlotte came home. The timing couldn't be more perfect. He walked into his study and sat at his desk. He quickly located a pen and some stationery. Just as he was preparing to start on his letter, he remembered what Ronee had said. His father missed him. Frasier never thought he'd feel this way, but he missed his dad, too. He even missed the old green chair, and Eddie's constant staring. With a sigh, Frasier put his pen down and turned to his computer. A few clicks later, he'd bought himself a plane ticket to Seattle.


	3. Chapter 3

Daphne was grateful when Niles volunteered to take care of David so that she could write her letter without interruption. At first, she resisted, knowing how hard he worked all day to provide for her and the baby. But Niles had countered that by saying that he missed spending time with his son.

So Daphne found herself sitting downstairs on the fainting couch. Writing this letter might be more difficult than it had seemed at first. After all, as Ronee pointed out, Martin wasn't simply Frasier and Niles' father, and her father-in-law. He was almost like a father to her in many ways. Certainly he was the first Crane to take a liking to her, even before his younger son fell in love with her at first sight. Even though it was so long ago, Daphne could still remember walking into Frasier's that first day. As the memories replayed in her mind, she began to write.

_Dear Martin, _

_As I sit here, remembering those first days when I moved in with you and Frasier, it seems like a lifetime ago. But I know I'll never forget it as long as I live! I know I wasn't exactly what you or Frasier were expecting, but I figured if I just did my job the best I could, maybe we'd all learn to get along. It certainly didn't happen overnight, but after I while I could see that you and Frasier liked me. Or at least you did. Frasier merely tolerated me! _

_Of course, things changed when I met Niles. I wish I could say I knew then and there that we were meant to be together. But clearly I didn't. I'll always be grateful for the way things turned out. I can't imagine where I'd be today if I hadn't met Niles in that Winnebago of yours! _

_When I look at David, I can hardly believe he's real, and he's ours. It's as if everything in me life led me to this wonderful gift that I never could've imagined. I wasn't quite sure I was ready to be a mother, considering what me own mum was like! But of course Niles is such a wonderful husband, and I know I could never do this without him. He's an amazing father as well, and I suspect it's because he's had a great example to live up to. We are both so happy that our son will be able to grow up here in Seattle, close to his grandparents. I know that you and Frasier and Niles weren't always very close, and I want to do my best to make sure things are different for David. _

_Niles and I are both very much aware that this life and family that we've been blessed with is all, indirectly, thanks to you. I'll never be able to say how grateful I am for everything you've done. I know you don't like to share your feelings, especially when it comes to family. But I want to make sure you know one thing. Even though at times you've driven me absolutely out of my bloody mind, I love you. I'm so thankful to be a part of your family._

By the time Daphne signed her name, her tears made it nearly impossible to read what she'd written. But she was glad to have gotten it all out on paper. Even if his oldest son wouldn't be able to be here for his birthday, Martin would at least know that he was loved. A gift like this might not fit into a box, all wrapped in paper. But she couldn't imagine anything that could have ever come more from the heart.


	4. Chapter 4

Niles had told Mrs. Woodson to hold all his calls until his next session. He had a free hour, and he was determined to write the letter to his father. But so far, all he'd done for the past ten minutes was stare at a blank page. He and his father had never been very good at talking about things. That's what made this so hard. It wasn't that Niles didn't love his dad. It's was just that he felt so vulnerable talking about his emotions. He suspected he got that from his faher. He released a sigh of frustration. But then he caught a glimpse of a photograph on his desk. It showed the two most important people in his life: Daphne and David. If it weren't for his father, they wouldn't even be in his life. All of a sudden, he knew what to say.

_Dear Dad, _

_I know you and I haven't been very close. We never did the typical father-son things, like try to make touchdowns on the basketball court. Frasier and I knew you loved us, because Mom always reminded us whenever we were frustrated with you. I imagine she said the same to you when we weren't around. When Frasier moved away to Boston, it seemed like I had no one left, except for Mom. Well, I had Maris, but somehow, I still felt lonely. I can see now that you must've missed Frasier then, too. I just didn't realize it at the time. And then Mom passed away, and I was __really_ _alone! _

_But, as we all know, our lives turned upside down when you were shot. Somehow we got through that time. And then Frasier came back home. You moved in with him, and things slowly started to turn for the better. Of course, for me, the best thing that happened was that Daphne entered our lives. _

_At first, I think I loved her simply because I'd never met anyone like her. She was all the things Maris could never be, and I was drawn to her immediately. But then, over time, we became friends. While I had more in common with Frasier, Daphne was the person I found myself talking to more and more. I know you and Frasier meant well when you told me not to approach Daphne. And you both were there for me when I nearly lost her to another man. I can never thank you enough for that. _

_And now, our married life is everything I imagined it would be and more. I find myself falling in love with Daphne all over again as I watch her take care of our son. As a father myself, I think I can understand how you must have felt when Frasier and I were growing up. I look at David, and I can already see him winning chess tournaments left and right, achieving academically and someday going on to an Ivy-League school. But I know that that may not be the path David chooses to follow. In that case, I'll have to let go of what I want and allow him to figure out what he wants to do. After all, how can I do for my son any less than what my father has done for me? _

_I know that I probably haven't said this to you as often as I should, but I love you, Dad. It's no exaggeration to say that I have no idea where I would be without you. The two greatest things in my life, my wife and son, I owe to you. I'll never forget that. _

As he signed his name, Niles smiled to himself. Sometimes it was easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilites he faced as a husband and a father. But now, looking at the bigger picture, he saw just how lucky he was. Many of his patients complained about their grown children who were too busy with their own lives to think of their parents. At least that was one problem Martin Crane would never have.


	5. Chapter 5

As Daphne was setting the table for Martin's birthday dinner, she heard a knock at the door. She went to open it, knowing it had to be either Ronee and Martin, or Roz and Alice. But when she opened it, she could hardly believe her eyes. "Frasier!"

Without a word, her brother-in-law swept her into a hug. "Daphne, I can see that motherhood agrees with you," he said as he released her. After I got Ronee's letter, I knew I had to be here. I'm flying back tomorrow night."

Still in disbelief, Daphne turned back toward the kitchen. "Niles, come quickly!"

Niles emerged. "Daphne, what...?" Before he could even finish the sentence, he saw his brother standing there. "Frasier!"

The brothers hugged quickly, then shook hands. "Now, where's my nephew?"

"He's upstairs," Daphne replied. "I'll go fetch him." She left the room.

"It's good to see you again, Frasier. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too. Chicago is wonderful, but Seattle will always be my home."

Just then, Daphne returned. Frasier couldn't believe it. David had grown quite a bit since he'd been gone. Not only that, but holding him made Daphne even more beautiful than usual.

"He's just precious," Frasier said as he took the baby from her.

Daphne beamed proudly. "Thank you."

As Frasier stared at the infant, he could not help thinking of Frederick. "Before you two know it, David's going to be a toddler."

Daphne smiled, watching the way Frasier was holding her son. "So...how's Charlotte?" she asked with a wink.

"Her matchmaking business is booming," Frasier answered. "When I showed her Ronee's letter, she understood I had to be here for Dad. We're still adjusting to living together, but things are going well."

"I'm glad, Frasier." Daphne reached over, touching his shoulder. She remembered all too well the years he'd spent trying to find a woman to love.

Before anyone could say another word, there was another knock at the door. Daphne opened it and saw Roz standing there, along with Alice. Roz carried a large box wrapped in "Happy Birthday" paper.

Roz was about to greet Daphne when she saw that Niles and Daphne weren't alone. "Frasier!" The box she'd been holding fell to the floor as she registered the shock of seeing him.

Frasier turned around and was immediately pulled into a hug. "I've missed you," Roz said as she let him go.

"I miss you, too, Roz. I've been listening to KACL online these days, and I think you're doing a wonderful job."

"Hi, Uncle Frasier." Alice's small voice almost startled Frasier. He'd been so glad to see Roz that he forgot she was there.

"Come here," Frasier said, bending down and opening his arms.

Immediately the little girl ran into his arms. "Mommy and I miss you."

Frasier kissed Alice's cheek. "I missed you, too. But maybe you and your mommy could come visit me in Chicago sometime."

"Really?!" Alice asked.

"Of course. But that's only if your mommy can take some time away from the station." He gave a knowing glance at his former producer. He knew she loved her new job, but he was sure she was probably working more than she ever had before.

"I think I can manage that," Roz said with a laugh. "After all, nobody can tell me I have to come in, right?"

Frasier laughed, and all of a sudden, he felt as if he'd never left Seattle. He made a mental note to speak to Charlotte when he got back. He knew that their lives were in Chicago, at least for now. But he hadn't realized how much he missed his family. He _had_ to be around to see David and Alice grow up. Suddenly, he had a feeling he'd be making trips like this much more frequently than he'd anticipated.


	6. Chapter 6

The five of them continued to talk and exchange hugs for a few minutes. Their reunion was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"That must be Martin and Ronee," Daphne said. "Frasier, go and let them in."

Frasier nodded and walked over the door. He opened it, and sure enough, his father and Ronee stood before him.

"Son!" Martin exclaimed. He threw his arms around his firstborn. "I thought you weren't coming!"

"Well, when I got -" He stopped short when Ronee glared at him.

"What does it matter why he's here, Marty? The important thing is that he came." Ronee hugged her stepson. "I'm glad you changed your mind."

Frasier smiled. "Me, too. Well, Daphne, it looks like everyone's here now, so why don't we sit down?"

The family sat down to dinner, eager to talk and catch up. Even as Frasier enjoyed everyone's company, he thought about the letter he'd written on the airplane. It had taken quite a bit of soul-searching, but Frasier was glad for the opportunity to say some things to his father that he hadn't said before.

When Daphne had finished clearing the dishes, Ronee turned to her husband. "Well, I guess now's the time for gifts. I knew how upset you were about Frasier not being able to be here, so I had an idea."

"Oh, Ronee," Martin said as he took her hand. "You got him to come, didn't you?"

Ronee nodded, and she and Martin hugged and kissed. "But there's more!"

"There is?" Martin asked.

"Well, I got to thinking about how much Niles and Frasier and Daphne mean to you. So I told each of them to write a little something about how they feel about you. I figured they could read them to you."

Martin smiled. He knew there was a time in his life when he would've hated something like this, people sharing emotions so openly and freely. But in the past few years, he'd grown more accustomed to such things. He loved Ronee more than he could say for coming up with this idea. He had a feeling it was something he'd remember for a long time.

"When we planned this, we thought there would only be two letters," Daphne remarked. "But I guess there are three. Frasier, do you want to read yours?"

Frasier shook his head. "That's all right. I can go last. It'll be the p_ièce de résistance._" After a moment, he added, "That means the best part."

Martin couldn't help rolling his eyes at Frasier's usual pretentiousness.

"All right, then," Daphne said. "Can I go first?" she asked her husband.

"Go ahead, my love." Niles kissed her. He and Daphne had agreed not to read each other's writing so that they would hear the words along with everyone else.

Daphne stood up, suddenly feeling a bit shy and embarrassed by what she had to say. But she reminded herself that these people were her family. There was no reason for her to worry about their reactions. She read her letter, feeling tears in her eyes almost immediately. By the time she'd gotten to the end, she could barely speak.

When she finished, Martin took hold of his cane and stood. "Daph," he said simply. A second later, Daphne was in his arms. Martin held his daughter-in-law for a long moment. He knew he'd been a difficult patient at times, and he probably had never told her how happy he was to have her as part of his family. When they finally separated, Martin could see in her eyes that she understood. He was glad Daphne was good at sensing these things, so that he didn't have to say them out loud.

When Daphne sat back down, Niles kissed her immediately. The kind words she'd written about him had touched him deeply. When the moment ended, Niles took a deep breath. It was now his turn to read. As he spoke, Daphne once again felt her eyes filling with tears. She'd never really understood the full depth of his love for her from the very beginning. When he was finished, she immediately went to him, kissing him deeply. "I don't deserve you," she whispered.

"Oh, my angel," Niles said, brushing a tear from her cheek. "On the contrary. I don't deserve _you_."

Martin saw that Niles and Daphne were now in a world of their own. "Son? I think you can sit down now."

Niles blushed slightly and took Daphne's hand as he led her back to her seat.

"Niles, Daphne, that was beautiful," Frasier said. "I hope someday Charlotte and I are as happy together as you two are."

Daphne reached across the table to squeeze his hand. "You will be. I'm sure of it."

Frasier smiled at her and then stood. "Well, here goes," he said. "I want you all to know that I _did _try to make this brief!"

They all smiled, knowing about Frasier's habit of being long-winded at times. After a moment, Frasier began to read.

_Dear Dad, _

_I know that when Niles and I were growing up, I wasn't always a very good son. I always wanted to read or listen to opera, rather than spend time with you. Mom always told us to give you a chance. But I didn't listen. But even while I was at Harvard, I still thought of you often. It was, in part, your work ethic that led me to excel in school. _

_After I graduated from Harvard, I chose to stay in Boston to begin my professional life. I guess I thought it was easier to do that than try again to form some sort of relationship with you. But even then, I still held on to my memories of you. It's no coincidence that my favorite hangout there was a local bar. From the first time I walked into Cheers, I knew it was a place you would've loved. Still, I stayed away from you. I married Lilith, and of course, had Frederick. They became yet another excuse to maintain the distance between us. But as my marriage began to fall apart, I started to realize what I'd done. And then I got the call that changed my life. Niles called me to say that you'd been shot during a robbery. I saw that you were not invincible, and if I wanted a chance to know you, I would have to be the one to take that step. So I moved back here. _

_Then you moved in with me. I have to admit that it was largely out of guilt that I agreed to it. I knew Mom would've hated the way I'd treated you. At first, I regretted my decision nearly every day. Especially when I not only had to contend with you, but also Daphne. I had no idea back then that she would end up being the one person who could make my little brother happy. Slowly but surely, the three of us became a family. It wasn't perfect, but I wouldn't change a moment of it. For so many years, I pushed you away, thinking that I didn't need you. But now, I see that I wouldn't be who I am today, or have the life that I do now, if it weren't for you. Living with you for eleven years taught me to be open to new experiences, even those that seem difficult at first. That's what led me to follow my heart to Chicago. I've seen what choosing love has done for Niles and Daphne, and I hope to experience that for myself one day. _

_Thank you, Dad, for the example you've shown to Niles and me since we were children. We'll remember it always._

As soon as Frasier was done, Martin got up once again and hugged his son tightly. Even through his gruff, ex-cop exterior, he had tears in his eyes. "Frasier...thank you."

For a few moments, the group was quiet, too busy with their emotions to say a word. The silence was broken by David's sneeze, followed by a giggle. The sound of the baby's laughter seemed to have broken them all out of their trance.

"Well, Martin, would you like to open our gift now?" Roz asked. "Sorry I didn't write something like they did, but I'm not good at that stuff. Besides, I figured you'd like this better!" She handed him the package.

"Thank you, Roz! And thank _you_, Alice." When he looked at the front of the card attached to the box, he saw that Alice had drawn a picture of Eddie.

Alice beamed proudly, glad to have been included in the grow-ups celebration. She liked Uncle Martin. He was almost like another grandpa, and she _loved_ playing with Eddie every time she visited him.

Martin opened the box, and the first thing he saw was a Seahawks T-shirt. Underneath that were a pair of season tickets. Martin gasped when he saw them. He knew they were expensive, and he'd never expected such a thing from her.

"There's one more thing in there, Martin," Roz said helpfully.

Martin put the tickets on the table and looked inside the box. In it he saw a large picture frame, with a picture of both his sons already in it.

"Thanks, Roz, Martin said. "This is the best gift I could've gotten, because I can't imagine anything I'd rather have than a picture to remind me that I've got _two_ good sons."

Roz smiled. "I had a hunch you'd feel that way."

**The End**


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